OAK HARBOR – For the first time in the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office history, all deputies will be carrying standardized weapons while on duty, instead of having to supply their own personal weapon.

On Thursday evening, the Ottawa County Commissioners voted to spend $30,000 to buy 49 standardized guns, ammunition pouches, and holsters for each of the sheriff’s deputies in Ottawa County.

Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick wasted no time getting to learn what the deputies would like to carry, hosting a testing session at the Oak Harbor Conservation Club on Friday afternoon.

A handful of deputies, including correction officers and road patrol, stepped up to try out the 9mm Glock 17 and 19 and the .40-caliber Glock 22 and 23 in the indoor range.

“It was critical to involve the deputies in this decision,” Levorchick said. “We want to see what’s right for them, what they feel comfortable with.”

Murph Mehn, from the Kiesler Police Supply Company, an exclusive law enforcement and military weapons supplier from Indiana, brought 9mm and .40-caliber ammunition and the weapons.

Mehn said he had met Sheriff Levorchick at a Buckeye Sheriff’s Show at Kalahari last year and began talking about standardizing the county’s weaponry.

“Sheriffs usually want to test these out and see what works for their department,” Mehn said. “We do demos every week. We are a Glock-only dealer.”

Brian DeYoung, a law enforcement district manager from Glock, was on hand to answer any questions the deputies had and assist them while they tested the weapons.

“I know these guns inside and out,” DeYoung said. “It’s the most popular law enforcement pistol in the world. About 70 percent of the U.S. market uses Glocks.”

Ottawa County was one of 13 counties in Ohio who did not have standardized weapons for sheriff’s deputies. The department requested it several times during Levorchick’s tenure but had been denied until this week.

“I thought it was wrong to not have the same weapons,” Levorchick said. “It gives a seamless transition from deputy to deputy in the event of a firefight.”

Deputy Jayson Hale said he supports the standardization of the department, noting the ability to interchange weapons with other deputies and know they could handle it.

“I’ve worked for other agencies before who provided weapons. When I came to Ottawa County in 2002, I had to supply my own weapon,” Hale said.

Deputy Hale said he liked the larger model Glock 17 the most and voted for it, which he didn’t expect when he arrived at the range Friday.

“I’ve carried a 22 and I went in thinking I would like that the most, but I really liked the 17,” Hale said.

Deputy Rachel Hinojosa also changed her mind on what weapon she thought handled the best and would like to carry, going from her own personal preference of a Glock 19 to the larger 17.

“I wasn’t raised around guns, so I’m not familiar with all of the different models,” Hinojosa said.

Hinojosa viewed the standardization as a step in the right direction for the office.

“If another deputy goes down and and mine jams and I have to use someone else’s weapon, it’s a little more comfortable and more reassuring that we’re going to be prepared at that time,” she said.

Thanks to the Oak Harbor Conservation Club trustees, all deputies also will have access to the shooting ranges, giving them time to practice and continue to sharpen their shooting skills.

Levorchick said he would be placing the order for the guns, holsters and magazine holsters in the next few weeks. He would like to eventually add weapon lights for each deputy to mount on their gun, he said.